Having read some of the other reviews that there isn't as much interest in this capture because of the crowd noise, I can appreciate them. But they're Dead wrong! It's not the crowd noise that's the problem for me, it's the inexperienced "Pause" butchery this recorder demonstrates. This is a fabulous capture being smack dab in the most primo position you could hope for and one of the best audience recordings of the band I've ever heard (and I've heard a lot of them). But the recorder had no idea what he/she was doing in chopping off each outro reaction to the songs. It was a crime and just godawful for this crowd maven. So you have the best and worst of both worlds in this upload. And that's a damn shame because this guy or gal must have been a newbie hitting the pause button the second each song was over in the first set and early in the second. It's terribly jarring.

Yes, the crowd is very noticeable because this is a hand-held or stealth hat or cane recording deep in the throng. It's the crispy-ness of the instruments and the vocals and the balance that's the tell. If you listen closely on Jerry's quieter songs, you can distinguish Billy's splash and hi-hats from his baby rides. It's simply gorgeous. You are correct Captain Toke - it's well centered, close to the stage, full and heavenly. It's a TRUE BLUE Dead Fucking Center Front Of Board "Sweet Spot" recording. Not just an AUD. This sweet sweet sound is five star stellar and just incredible!!! Absolutely phenominal!!! Though I don't care much for about half the first set, the show is very good at four plus where I'd sneak in five overall for show and sound. But the poor recorder editing knocks this version back down to four stars.

If there was one thing I detested in '84 when the Taper's Section was initiated, it was the added distance from the stage of that new B.O.B. section and the loss of crisp distinction of sound - unless you had really good cardioid shotguns. And even then, nothing really substituted for close proximity to the stage. Pausing aside, thank you to whoever chose not to accept the mediocrity of that five-years-in institution and choose to muscle his way into the Mouth Of The Beast. Or have the luck of San Rafael mailing him tickets to the best seats in the house. And thanks Wiley for the upload! There is much to work with here.

But this upload needs allot of attention with fade-out / fade-in meshing Mike Darby's crowd. Mr. Darby does a great job keeping his finger off the pause button, though the recording is one step down from this, losing some top end fidelity and crispness being farther back in the Sports Center. I'm hoping some of the notable editors / matrix magicians will take up the challenge. I see that it has already been matrixed. But quite honestly, that artificial mix wasn't necessary. All that needs to be done is graft Mike Darby's crowd source to make this a natural five star standout.

Personally, I don't mind a little hootin', hollerin', and talkin' on my downloads. It reminds me of being "right there" - twenty rows up standing DFC and elbow to elbow with my crew (I can see the band now, right in front of me). The sound is clean and clear with just exactly the right amount of reverb / sustain. It's just exactly perfect! And Jerry is reasonably well chorded tonight, which is a big, big plus. With a super stellar recording like this, you don't need the matrix.

For you kids who never had a chance to see The Boyz when Jerry was alive, and you really want a taste of what it was like back in the day being in the MOTB - the center of the universe - the hottest / coolest / hippest / most beautiful place - THE - place to be on planet Earth on April 17th, 1989 passing around bowls and joints (and maybe swimming on shrooms) KNOWING you were at the experiential center of cosmic and communal bliss: laughing, smiling, and grinning from ear to ear with your sensory perceptions peaked in an atmosphere of pure emotional electricity when the Dead had their last good year of Ol' Jer singing reasonably well, you absolutely MUST have this in your collection. This show is quickly becoming my favorite post-coma show!

When the fix comes in, grab this incredible show if for no other reason than to hear the 1st set Iko > Minglewood opening, Bertha closer, the 2nd set Cold Rain & Snow > Samson opener, and the Knocking On Heaven's Door encore. Lordy, Lordy, what a stunning Knockin' finish! It's the best version I've ever heard. The energy of this show reminds me of '81. Yeah, that first minute of Iko Iko with ear buds on brings me back. And NOTHING is worth more than cruising in my beat up Corolla Caddy as a 65 year old Head to feel and see that again.

*Fanatic's Note: I tried to persuade the usual suspects in the sound editing community to take up the opportunity to do The Faithful righteous, but there don't seem to be any takers to mix this with Mike Darby's version. Oh well? They just don't understand. So I did it myself and the result is every superlative in the book. It's a five+ star monster!!! I've been listening to this reconverted marvel for three days straight now and haven't gotten tired of it (and you're reading from a crusty veteran who hardly ever listens to anything past '82). Since I don't know how to upload it to The Archive, I can try Dropboxing it to whoever wants it in MP3. Email me and I'll see if I get it to you. And if you're in the Chicago area, you can buy me a Black & Tan at Fado Irish Pub. jacknds@cs.com

This was a definitive Brent-era "Bertha". Not a single note out of place, and heaps of energy.

Excellent well-balanced recording too.

And this "Space", for those who still pay attention to such things: It has incredible energy and momentum. It's not just noodling like so many 80s post-drums excursions. Something equally interesting happened on 9/8/83 and also a few times in 1981 but by the late 80s it was often just Jerry playing some picking exercises. This one is different, and special.

Listening to the btetree pull from Mr. darby, a true genius of aud recordings as I write this. As I read some of the comments, I can't help but think that if you listened to this seminal band from the acid tests through Chicago, and then on through the Dead, The Others, Rat Dog, the Rhythm Devils, 7 Walkers, Furthur, and all the other iterations, you would hear the innovation, both spiritual and electronic. Why the angst over midi. It was just the next step in the journey.

The Dead using MIDI? Was that really necessary? i certainly did not think so - ruined their sound too often. late-'80's are too cheesy - gimme the raw power of '83-'86 any time. A for effort but like most shows post-'86 this really doesn't go anywhere.

First show with midi. I agree with a previous reviewer who comments that midi sometimes turned into cheesy mush.I think it took away from their sound at times.I enjoy when it is psychedelic because of the notes they play rather than the midi tones.Classic Jerry tone is what I want.I also think that it is not the effects you use ,but how you use them.

The end of the first year of my experience in collage was drawing near. I had only just seen the Dea for the first time at Alpine the summer before. I borrowed a car from a friend, and raced up to MN from Des Moines, IA(Drake Unvsty). Got there late even though I flew(got a speeding ticket!)As soon as we rolled into the lot, some kind soul turned us on to some blue unicorns. By the time we got in they were well into Victim. Although I had tried psychedelic fungus a few times, this was my first experience w/ "Lucy in the Sky." Needless to say, the show flew by. I think I was peaking at about the time Jeery and Bobby were experimentling with the new sonic toys(MIDI effects). I guess it was a pretty standard show in the grand scheme, but it's one I'll never forget. Boy, did I have trouble driving back to Des Moines afterwards. It was snowing dancing bears and skeletons!!!

According to the 1989 annual Deadbase, this was the first appearance of MIDI guitars onstage for the Dead (why they would suddenly show up on the last night of a tour, I do not know). The MIDI guitars only appeared during Space. I vividly remember watching Bobby and Jerry getting a kick out of their new sounds. Bobby made some sort of whip-cracking sound with his, then he and Jerry laughed. Then Jerry would retaliate with his own sonic assault.

At this, my first show, I could not have predicted just how shrill and annoying the MIDI guitars would become in the later (final) years for the Dead (I never enjoyed Jerry's MIDI "horn" solos). So, for me, a purist, the first show I attended also marks the start of the gradual decline of the Dead into a mushy, cheesy mess (interestingly, for those interested in the greater societal parallels, this show took place on a piece of land that now houses the Ikea store across the street from the Mall of America. How times change).

Having expressed all that, I must emphasize that this was a fun, lighthearted show on a very cold day in Minnesota. Maybe someday the SBD will surface. In the meantime, thank goodness we have this nice AUD source.

Where is the SBD? Maybe someday, but beggars can't be choosers and this aud isn't too bad. I had such a good time a this show/on this tour. This was a great finale...while the setlist doesn't wow you on paper, the show was ultra solid. Cold Rain & Snow to open the 2nd was perfect for the weather outside, but the climate was sweltering inside the Met...

Far From Me was hot..Brent was the best. Iko was fun...Built to Last nice.

Worth the DL? Probably only if you were there like me. Worth the listen? For sure! I'm giving 4 stars because I can't bring myself to do worse...but it probably deserves 3 for the recording and in comparison to the rest of the year...but they were obviously on the way to 7/17. '89 was hot

Nice and crispy highs. The lows are a little muffled; they are, however, distinguishable. Nice rare Bertha 1st set closer! A nice rippin' Samson and Delilah, too! Worth a listen.

sounds great